Valve



Jan. 21, 1936.

P. R. FORMAN VALVE Filed June 7, 1953 v INVENTOR.

Pa s R. FZwman BY A MAO/Hf ATTORNEYS,

Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES aozsssi VALVE Paris R. For'ma'n, Rahway, N. J., assignor to National Pneumatic Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of West Virginia Application June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,635

9 Claims.

This invention relates in general to improvements in valves, and more specifically to improvements inail' inlet valves for use in combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine as described in the copending application Serial No. 661,514, filed March 18, 1933, in the name of John H. Vander Veer.

One of the objects of this invention is to pro-- vide an improved form of air inlet valve of this type so constructed as to prevent the-escape of gas pressure, flames and soot produced by the engine back firing into the intake manifold from passing out through the intake portsof the air inlet valves.

These and many other objects, as will appear from the following disclosure, are secured by means of thisinvention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, allas will appear more fully hereinafter.

Fig; 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the valve of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, with some parts in cross-section, of a system employing the valve of this invention.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical central cross sectional view through the .valve of this invention showing its association with the intake manifold of an internal combustion en-' gine. Air inlet valves of this type when em-. ployed to control the supply of fresh air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine are normally held seated by a pressure equal to the difference between atmospheric pressure acting on the valve parts, and the sub-atmospheric pressure within the intake manifold. Obviously then, any back firing of the engine into the intake manifold develops a pressure therein which is greater than atmospheric pressure, and causes the valve to unseat. The unseating of the valve permits of the escape of gas pressures, flames and soot from the back firing through the valve,-

which is undesirable. Another result is that when the air inlet valve opens under conditions of back firing the ignited gases in the intake manifold contact with the outside air, with the result that their combustion is prolonged, which is of course an undesirable condition.

7 Referring to Fig. l a portion of the intake manifold of an internal combustionengine or its equivalent is shown at I, having an aperture 2 in the wall thereof. The valve body 3 is secured to the intake manifold I over the aperture 2 by means of U bolts and nuts 4. A suitable gasket 5'is interposed between the valve body and the manifold to prevent leakage therebetween. The valvebody comprises a hollow casing having a screw'cap 6. A gasket 1 is interposed between the'members 3 and 6 to form an air tight seal. 5 The threaded port 8 is provided to receive a pipe connection-which is connected through suitable control valves with the intake manifold in accordance with the disclosure of the above identified copending application. The purpose of 10 this pipe connection is to connect the valve casing with a suitable vacuum source, preferably the intake manifold itself to effect operation of the valve in accordance with the above mentioned disclosure, and in a manner which will 15 also be briefly described below.

The valve body 3 is provided with an air inlet port 9, while the aperture Ill thereof which is in registry with the aperture in the intake manifold is the outlet port of the valve. The valve 20 casing 3 is provided preferably with a cylindrical upper portion to provide an operating chamber I l in which the valve plunger l4 may slide. This valve plunger is provided adjacent its lower face with a conical seat 24 which cooperates with a 25 complementary seat l2 formed in the valve body 3. The surface 24 of the valve forms what is known asa poppet valve, and is so proportioned with respect to the seat l2 that the greater portion of its length is exposed to atmospheric 30 pressure through the port 9. i

The lower face of the valve is exposed to the pressure conditions in the intake manifold when the plunger is seated. The plunger is shown hollow and provided with a central hub forming a 35 chamber 21, which is closed by means of a screw cap 22 which forms an airtight connection'therewith. At It is a valve stem which projects into the chamber 2| through an aperture l8 in the lower face of the plunger. The valve stem is of 40 two different diameters to form a shoulder 25 and is surrounded by a light spring l5 which abuts against adisc or follower 19 held on the valve stem by means of a pin or its equivalent 20. Secured to the lower end of the valve stem is a 45 valve disc I! forming a mushroom valve, which disc may seat against the lower face l3 of the wall-onwhich the seat 52 is formed. While the poppet valve must form a fluid tight seal with the seat [2 the mushroom valve I! need not seat so tightly, and in fact is preferably provided with several small holes 23 therethrough to insure a slight leakage past the valve.

In the operation of this valvethe chamber II is connected to a vacuum source so that atmose 55 pheric pressure operating on the surface 24 will cause the plunger l t to move upwardly away from the seat 12. Since the spring !5 is a light spring it does not interfere with the movement of the plunger l4. When the plunger has reached the upper limit of its movement the shoulder does not seat on the entire lower wall of the plunger.

Then with vacuum conditions in the intake manifold, atmospheric pressure acting through port 9 will move the valve disc l'i 01f its seat. The downward movement of this disc I? will be limited by the engagement of shoulder 25 with the inside face of the lower wall of the plunger. This position of the parts of the valve will remain as long as vacuum conditions are maintained in chamber H to hold the plunger in its upward position, and disc I? will remain unseated as long as the pressure in the intake manifold I is sufficiently below atmospheric pressure so that air entering port 9 will overcome the pressure of spring 85 on disc El and pass through port I!) and aperture 2 into the manifold. When it is desired to close the valve, chamber H is cut off from the vacuum source and exposed to atmospheric pressure. This balances the pressures on the plunger and it will close under its own weight, which closing action will be enhanced by reason of vacuum conditions within the manifold. Under these conditions the pressure in the intake manifold may act upon the end surface of the plunger [4 through the apertures 23 of disc l7. Also when valve 24 has closed, intake manifold pressure passing through these holes will balance the pressures on the faces of disc I! so that spring l5 will hold said disc closed. When the poppet valve is seated and the mushroom valve is seated the spring it, although it is a light spring, tends to maintain these conditions.

Under normal conditions of operation of the internal combustion engine, that is, when the engine is operating to produce power, or is idling,

valves 24 and I! remain closed. It is only when the engine is operating at a speed appreciably above idling and the throttle has been retarded, that the plunger is moved upwardly. This is clearly disclosed in the above noted copending application. When the plunger l4 has been moved upwardly the sub-atmospheric pressure in theintake manifold will cause disc I? to move downwardly off its seat l3, for the area of the holes 23 is small compared to the area of the upper face of the disc which by-movement of plunger [4 has been exposed to atmospheric pressure, so that a free passage is provided, opposed only by the pressure of the light spring l5 on the disc [1, for atmospheric air to pass through ports 9 and 10 into the intake manifold.

Whenever the pressure on the end face of valve disc I! exceeds the pressure on its upper face, this disc will seat against its seat I3, irrespective of the position of valve 24 and plunger 14 at the time. Thus when the pressure in the intake manifold I is raised by reason of back firing into the manifold, the valve I! closes and cuts oil the flow of gases with the exception of the slight amount that may pass through the ports 23. Thus the combustion started by the back firing will not be supported by air from inlet port 9,

and will quickly cease. Furthermore, the closing of valve I! under conditions of back firing prevents the soot produced bythe back firing from either discharging into the atmosphere or working up around plunger I4 where it may interfere with the free working thereof in chamber H. The valve disc- I! also prevents the direct contact of heat incident to the back fire reaching valve 24, and its seat I2. This provides important protection against damage to these parts.

In order to illustrate in this disclosure one use for the valve of this invention applicant includes below, in connection with Fig. 1, a system employing the valve as disclosed in the above mentioned copending application of applicant. At 6! in Fig. 2 is diagrammatically illustrated an internal combustion engine of the usual type employing a crank shaft E52 which is connected by the piston rod 63 to a piston 64, only one of which is shown. At 65 is diagrammatically illustrated the usual generator associated with such engine, which is normally driven by the engine, as indicated diagrammatically by a belt or chain 68. One terminal of this generator is grounded by means of the Wire 61 and the other terminal is connected by .the wire 68 to a magnet winding 69, one terminal of which is grounded. The core 19 of the magnet winding 68 isprovided with a second magnet winding 12, one terminal of which is connected by wire H to the wire 68. An armature i4 is pivotally mounted at so as to be attracted by the core It. The other terminal of the winding 12 is electrically connected to the armature 14 by means of the wire 13. This armature is positioned to engage a fixed contact Which is connected by wire l1 through the ammeter 78 and by wire 19 to the storage battery filfi which is grounded as usual. As illustrated, a fixed stop is positioned to limit the movement of armature l4 away from the core 19 under the action of a spring 18. This arrangement represents the usual generator cut out which normally completes the circuit from the generator to the battery by the energization of winding 69. However when the back electromotive force of the storage battery equals the generated electromotive force of the generator 5v the flux produced by the winding 72 suficiently neutralizes the flux of winding 19 so that spring 76 may retract the armature i4 and break the circuit to the storage battery.

The exhaust manifold of the engine hasbeen indicated at SI and at 82 is diagrammatically shown one of the exhaust valves. The intake manifold of the engine is illustrated at .l and at 84 is shown one of the intake valves. The carburetor is diagrammatically illustrated at 85 connected to the intake manifold and having at 86:

the usual throttle valve. This valve is operated by means of lever 81. pivotally connected to the.

accelerator pedal 89 through a link 88. The accelerator pedal is normally held in theposition shown by means of a spring in accordance with the usual practice so that the throttle valve is normally in its closed or retarded position. At 3| is a fuel supply pipe to the carbureter, and at 32 is an air strainer or filter through which the air passing to the carbureter travels. At .33 is diagrammatically illustrated a switch which is interconnected with the accelerator pedal by means of a link 34. The switch is provided with a contact 35 moved when the accelerator pedal is moved and cooperating with a fixed contact 35. Contact 36 is connected by wire 37 to wire 68..

It may be noted that when the accelerator is in the retarded position, as illustrated, contacts 35 and 36 engage. Contact 35 is connected by means of a wire 38 to a grounded magnet winding 39 which is mounted upon a magnetizable core 40. Pivotally mounted on this core is an armature 4! having an adjustable set screw 42 thereon engaging a valvestemi l slidably mounted i'n rthe ,magnetizable core. An adjustable set screw-engages the armature 4! to provide for adjustment of :its position. The valve stem 44 is provided with a pair of. opposed valves 45 and 46 which have seats formed in the valve casing 41." This. casing, as diagrammatically illustrated, forms two separate chambers which are normally disconnected by reason of the fact that valve 46 is seated under the action of spring 48 and valve 45 is open, connecting the upper chamber with the atmosphere. The lower chamber is connected by means of a pipe 49 with the intake manifold I.

The valve of Fig. 1 is diagrammatically illustrated as applied to the intake manifold l in accordance with the illustration in Fig. 1. The port 8 of this valve is connected by a pipe 50 with the upper chamber of valve 41. This system operates in accordance with the description previously given of the operation of the valve of this invention and need not be repeated here. The. system of Fig. 2 is but one illustration of the use of the valve of this invention. It may be briefly noted, however, that when the accelerator pedal 89 is retarded when in the advanced position to a more retarded position contacts 35 and 36 engage so that the current from the generator flows from wire 68 through wire 31, contacts 36 and 35, wire 38, and winding 39 to ground and thence back to the generator. If the engine is operating above a predetermined speed, or one greater than that corresponding to the retarded accelerait reaches a value where spring 48 will overcome the pull on armature 4| and valves 45 and 46 will return to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. This cuts the connection between the intake manifold and chamber l I of valve 3. This plunger l4 then returns to seated position and the engine is in normal condition. As previously noted, the construction of valve 3 prevents direct backfiring from the intake manifold I through the port 9 of the valve when it is opened.

It is of course apparent that the valve of this invention need not be directly mounted upon the intake manifold, but may be mounted directly 1 on the intake valve chamber or any part of the engine subject to sub-atmospheric pressure conditions normally incident to the operation of an internal combustion engine. In the claims, therefore, it is intended that the expression intake manifold shall include any equivalent thereof in accordance with the above explanation.

From the above description it will be apparent that this invention resides in certain principles of construction and operation which may be embodied in other physical structures without departure therefrom. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure as given for purposes of illustration, but rather to the scope of the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of an air inlet valve connected thereto throughian aperture in the wall of the intake manifold, the inlet .valve having a casing with aninlet opening and a seat therein, amovable' valve member in the casing which when seated cuts off communication between the .air inlet opening and the intake manifold, said member being held seated by the difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the pressure in the intake manifold, and a check valve mounted to close off the connection between the intake manifold and the valve casing when super-atmospheric pressure is present in the intake manifold.

2. In an apparatus described the combination with an intake manifold, of an air inlet valve connected thereto, said valve having a movable member held seated by the difference in pressure between atmospheric pressure and the pressure within the intake manifold, and a check valve for closing the connection between the inlet valve and the intake manifold upon the occurrence of super-atmospheric pressure in the intake manifold.

3. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a valve connected thereto for supplying air into the intake manifold when said valve is opened, and means for preventing back firing through said valve, said valve normally tending to open under the pressure conditions in the manifold 4. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of an air inlet valve connected thereto, said valve having a movable member held seated by the difference between atmospheric pressure and the pressure in the'intake manifold, and means in the connec-.

tion between the intake manifold and said valve acting to close the. connection under back firing conditions to prevent flames and direct heat from being discharged from the intake manifold into said valve. I

5. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a valve comprising a casing having an air inlet port and an outlet port opening into the intake manifold, said casing having a seat therein and forming a closed chamber, a movable plunger in said chamber having a seat cooperating with the seat in the valve casing,- and a check valve, positioned to seat in the casing to cut off the connection between the inlet port and the outlet port of the valve.

6. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine having an aperture therein, of a valve, said valve having a closed casing in communication with said aperture, said casing having a pair of opposed seats, an air inlet port to said. casing, a plunger in said casing having a seat for cooperation with one of the valve body seats, and a mushroom valve arranged to seat, on the other seat in the valve casing.

7. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine having an aperture therein, of a valve, said valve having a closed casing in communication with said aperture, said casing having a pair of opposed seats, an air inlet port to said casing, a plunger in said casing having a seat for cooperation with one of the valve body seats, a mushroom valve mounted on said plunger and arranged to seat on the other seat in the valve casing, and a spring interposed between the plunger and mushroom valve tending to seat both of them.

8. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a valve connected thereto for supplying air into the intake manifold when said valve is opened, and means for preventing the flame and direct heat of a backfire in the intake manifold from reaching said valve.

9. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a valve connected thereto for supplyingair. intotheintake manifold when said valve is opened, andimeans for substantially preventingthe pressure caused by a backfire in the intake manifold'from reach ing saidvalve.

PARIS R. FORMAN. 

